Proposanator

A secure, password-protected browser-based internal application designed for VSA Partners agency. This specialized platform acts as a stronghold, making it easier to send confidential design and branding proposals to potential clients without relying on traditional email exchanges.

This project was a part of my internship program at VSA Partners.

My Role
UX/UI Designer – Intern

Team
UX/UI Designer, UX Researcher, Front-end Developer, Back-end Developer, Project Manager, Product Manager

Client
VSA Partners (internal project)

Year
2018

Scope
2 months

During my time as an Interaction Design intern at VSA Partners, I contributed to the development of Proposanator, a secure, password-protected browser-based internal application facilitating the sharing of proposals and confidential information with prospective clients. This streamlined platform has significantly optimized VSA's workflow by replacing outdated communication methods such as email exchanges and file sharing via cloud drives.

The application comprises two key components: an internal administrator view and an external client view. The client-side experience is powered by a custom WordPress theme developed by VSA, utilizing HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP. Employing mobile-first responsive web design principles, we created a unified codebase ensuring seamless adaptability across various screen sizes and resolutions.

Collaborating within a multidisciplinary team, we collectively aimed to deliver a functional and intuitive product that enhances agency-client communication.

In my role, I focused on designing responsive user interfaces across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices, aligning with UX research findings and wireframes while leveraging VSA's design system.

Desktop version animated mockup
Tablet version animated mockup
Mobile version animated mockup

Research

 By gathering insights from proposal writers and client interactions, we created a customer journey map. This allowed us to identify pain points, opportunities, and moments of delight in the proposal sharing process. Our customer journey map guided the design of Proposanator, ensuring it met the diverse needs of both internal stakeholders and external clients.

This journey map outlines the process by which prospective clients discover VSA Partners and subsequently engage as clients after reviewing the proposal.

Personas

Personas were created based on the research conducted within the agency. Our efforts resulted in the creation of two distinct personas: the first embodies the characteristics and needs of the prospective client audience, while the second represents the perspectives and objectives of the VSA team.

Content Planning

Utilizing a cardsorting methodology, we determined the content to be included for both client and VSA logins. 

Users accessing the platform with VSA credentials will have access to:

  • Case Studies

  • Proposals

  • Templates

  • Selectable ready-to-use options

  • Default content

  • View database

  • Save draft functionality

Both the clients and VSA employees will have access to:

  • Content and branding by VSA

  • About VSA Partners

  • VSA’s approach

  • Case studies

  • High-level budget information

  • High-level timeline details

  • VSA contact information

  • The ability to submit, post, tag questions and comments

  • Downloadable content

content architecture

Outcomes

Proposanator stands as a pivotal achievement from my summer internship, serving as a testament to my growth as a team player and collaborator. Through this project, I honed my UI and UX skills significantly. Engaging closely with developers, I mastered the art of effective communication and thorough hand-off preparation. Under the mentorship of my manager, Emily Hom-Nici, I experienced profound personal and professional development. Her guidance and support across various endeavors, particularly Proposanator, greatly enhanced my communication and leadership abilities.

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